Hopper



Jan. 27, 1942. H M, DANKER 2,271,170

HOPPER FledJuly 20, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l jfgyaf@ Jan. 27, 1942. H. M, DANKER 2,271,170

HOPPER Filed July 20, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jedem .yoffafzler y lower spacers at 21.

Patented Jan. 27, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE HO-PPER.

Hugo M. Danker, Berwyn, Ill.

Application July v20, 1939, Serial No. 285,608

l1 Claim.

My invention relates to apparatus for compounding and conveying fertilizer, and my main object is to provide a hopper from which the material may be dispensed with facility.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel type of agitator to facilitate the discharge of the material from the hopper.

With the above objects in View, and any others which may suggest themselves from the description to follow, a better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of the novel apparatus;

Fig. 2 is an enlargement of the left-hand terminal portion of Fig. 1, partly in section tofshow its interior;

Fig. 3v is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlargement of the right-hand lower portion of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is an enlargement of a mechanism in the left-hand portion of Fig. 1.

In the supply of active fertilizing ingredients, such as poultry droppings, it is necessary to provide a general or vehicle material in order to separate the active ingredient and prevent it from inducing abnormal or harmful effects in the soil. I have found that crushed peat serves as a very suitable vehicle material; also, the supply of sand to the compound serves to render the same more fluid and staple. However, proper measures must be taken to dispense and compound the materials in desirable proportions, and it is to accomplish this purpose that the novel apparatus has been primarily designed.

In accordance with the foregoing, specific reference to the drawings shows the framework of the apparatus to be of skeleton form, and largely composed of angle bars. Thus, a frontal rail is indicated at 20, a rear rail at 22, frontal uprights 24, rear uprights at 25, upper spacers at 26, and Braces are used wherever necessary, such as indicated at 28.

The framework primarily supports a horizontal conveyor belt 30 trained over terminal rollers 3| whose shafts 32 are carried in suitable frame bearings 33. Suitable means are provided to operate the conveyor belt in the direction of the arrow indicated in Fig. 2.

It is my purpose to operate the belt through the length of one run periodically, such as in the evening and in the morning. Each operation is intended to induce the deposit upon the upper belt line of a layer of sand or fine soil covered by a layer of peat. When the composite layer of material has attained the full length of the upper belt run, the operation of the belt is stopped, and the layer allowed the period through the night to receive the poultry droppings. In the morning the belt is again operated as in the previous instance, this action serving to unload the previous layer and take on a succeeding layer of the composite material. The unloading occurs over a suitable receptacle from which the contents are transferred to containers for use or sale.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, it is seen that extensions 24a of the uprights at the left-hand of the apparatus carry a hopper 40 having inclined bottom sections 4I which open into a horizontal tube 42 formed with a discharge spout 43. The tube receives a bottom support in the form of a cross-bar 66. The hopper 40 occurs over the corresponding end portion of the belt and along the outer side of the hopper is a narrower auxiliary hopper 44. The hopper 40 is intended to receive a lling of crushed peat, While the hopper 44 receives a filling of sand or fine soil.

It isV necessary to feed the crushed peat uniformly if an even layer thereof is to be deposited upon the belt 30, and for this reason I have located a feed-roller 45 in the tube 42, the roller 45 having a series of circularly-spaced pockets 46 whose purpose it is to regulate the feed of the peat through the spout 43 as the roller 45 is rotated. For this purpose a drive to the roller is taken from a correspondingly-located conveyor roller 3|. As suggested in Fig. 1 this roller carries a sprocket 41 fromwhich a chain 48 extends to a sprocket 49 on the shaft 50 of the regulating roller 45.

The feed of the sand or ne soil in the hopper 44 is not geared. The hopper is attached to the adjacent uprights 24a by means of links 5I and retained in an elevated position by a screw 52 threaded through the top frame 53 of the hopper and having a lock-nut 54. The bottom of the screw rests on the top frame 55 of the hopper 40, and the screw may be regulated to let the hopper fall until its spout 56 is very close to the top run of the belt 30. With the hopper 44 in this position, its feed is not fluid, but when the belt proceeds to move, the feed of a thin layer is procured, it being understood that the feed is regulated according to requirements, the consistency of the material, etc. The hopper 44 receives a. suitable lid 51.

It is advisable that the amount of peat emerging from the hopper 40 be regulated or controlled before it reaches the feed roller 45, so that the quantity of peat dispensed may be varied as required. Accordingly, a slide 58 is provided along the inside of the outer bottom section 4| of the hopper 4B, such slide being regulated by suitable means.

The crushed peat develops a tendency to cake or pack, and it is therefore necessary to agitate it in order that it may flow smoothly from the hopper 40. Accordingly, particular reference to Figs, 2, 3 and 4 indicates a pair of frames 69 of rod material which extend horizontally along the inside of each upper section 4l, and whose purpose is to slide in inward and outward directions and so loosen any accumulations of peat which tend to stick to each other or tothe said sections. In order that the frames 69 may operate as mentioned, a mechanism illustrated more particularly in Figs. 4 and 5 is employed. The front and rear ends of the hopper 40 are made with convergent pairs of slots 1D through which spindles ll terminally of the frames 69 project to enter shorter slots 12 made in the arms 13 of a pair of arches 14 whose summits are pivoted at l5 in the ends of the hopper, the slots l2 extending divergently in a downward direction. Next outside of each arch 'i4 an arm 16 is medially pivoted at 11 to the corresponding end of the hopper 4Q. The upper portion of each arm T6 is longitudinally slotted as indicated at 18 to receive a pin 19 projecting outwardly. The lower portion of the arm is formed as a follower 80 of a grooved cam 8l which is carried by the shaft 50 of the roller 45. Thus, when the latter is in operation, the arms 1G are caused to oscillate on :r

the pivots 11 and swing the arches 14 toward one side of the other, this action causing the agitator frames 69 to be carried back and forth along the inner sides of the hopper sections 4I to accomplish the result anticipated.

It may now be assumed that a proper quantity and proportion of the materials in the hoppers 4D and 44 will be fed onto the top run of the belt 3B. Also, the hopper 44 may be partitioned to feed a number of materials at the same time, in case more ingredients, or special formulas, are desired for the fertilizer. In order that the material layers may not become uneven or vary in depth, it is essential that the upper run of the belt be kept taut, and for this purpose I have provided a mechanism illustrated in the right-hand lower portion of Fig. 1 and covered in greater particular in my pending patent application on Belt adjuster, filed May 10, 1940 under Serial No. 334,458. Fig, 1 also shows a poultry roosting rack as a, special equipment for the belt conveyor, such rack being covered in detail in my pending patent application on Poultry rack, filed March 19, 1940, under Serial No. 324,873.

It will be evident from the above description that I have provided an apparatus which may be operated to emciently combine and dispense the materials desired for the compounding of the fertilizer, with control means included for dispensing the proper quantity or proportions of the basicr materials.

While I have described the invention along specific lines, various minor changes and refinements may be made without departing from its principle, and I desire to consider all such changes and reiinements as coming within the scope and spirit of the appendedclaim.

I claim:

A feed hopper `comprising a vessel having side walls with inclined bottom sections converging to a medial opening, end Walls, units inwardly of said sections and movable along the inner sides of the same, said end walls having slots opposite the ends of the units and extending in the direction of their movement, and means to move the units toward and away from the opening respectively and simultaneously, said means comprising arches medially pivoted to stationary points at the ends of the hopper, means to oscillate the arches, and connections between the arms of the latter and the respective units, said connections comprising pins projecting from the ends of the units through said slots for guidance of the units during their movements, and said arms having longitudinal slots for the entrance of said pins and of a length to allow for the arcuate travel of the arches in relation to said pins.

HUGO M. DANKER. 

